Best known as Sulu from Star Trek, Takei, who is openly gay, has become an influential and beloved civil rights activist and author. He is also a humorous Facebooker, with more than 6.4 million followers.

“As an actor, social justice activist, social media power, author of ‘Lions and Tigers and Bears: The Internet Strikes Back’ and ‘Oh Myyy! There Goes the Internet,’ and star of upcoming Broadway musical Allegiance, Takei has used his roles and public persona to advance LGBT and human rights around the world,” parade organizers said in a statement.

Takei spent his early childhood in U.S. internment camps during World War II and has also become an outspoken human rights advocate. He lives in Los Angeles with his husband Brad, whom he’s been with for 27 years.

The Seattle Pride Parade is June 29, 2014 on 4th Avenue in downtown Seattle.